Data storage device and refreshing method for use with such device

ABSTRACT

A data storage device such as a DRAM memory having a plurality of data storage cells ( 10 ) is disclosed. Each data storage cell ( 10 ) has a physical parameter which varies with time and represents one of two binary logic states. A selection circuit ( 16 ), writing circuits ( 18 ) and a refreshing circuit ( 22 ) apply input signals to the data storage cells to reverse the variation of the physical parameter with time of at least those cells representing one of the binary logic states by causing a different variation in the physical parameter of cells in one of said states than in the other.

The present invention relates to a data storage device, and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a semiconductor memory device. The invention also relates to a method of refreshing a data storage device.

DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) devices are known in which an array of charge storage cells is provided, each storage cell consisting of a single transistor and a single capacitor. As is well known, each storage cell stores a single binary data bit according to whether the associated capacitor is charged (data state “1”) or discharged (data state “0”). it is also well known that the charge stored in the charged capacitors decays with time, and that it is therefore necessary to rewrite the data to the charged storage cells by periodically recharging the capacitors. A conventional DRAM arrangement of this type is shown in FIG. 1. The DRAM device shown in FIG. 1 is provided with m columns and n rows. A data storage cell 10 consisting of a single transistor and a single capacitor is located at each intersection of a row and a column.

For each data storage cell, the source of the associated transistor is connected to one terminal of a capacitor, the other terminal of which is connected to a ground terminal or a given reference voltage (not shown), the gates of the transistors of each row are connected together by a respective conductive track 12, and the drains of the transistors of each column are connected together by a respective conductive track 14. Each of the conductive tracks 12 is connected to a selection circuit 16 for sequentially scanning the conductive tracks 12 of the memory device, and the conductive tracks 14 are each connected to respective writing circuits 18 i and reading circuits 20 i, where i varies from 1 to m.

In order to refresh the charge states of the data storage cells 10 to counteract the effect of the charge stored in each capacitor decaying with time, the selection circuit 16 scans lines 1 to n by sequentially applying a signal to each conductive track 12 to successively switch on the transistors of all of the data storage cells 10 connected to the conductive track 12 being addressed. This in turn enables the reading circuits 20 i to determine the charge state of the associated capacitor by determining the current flowing through each transistor in response to the determination of the charge state of each capacitor determined by the associated reading circuit 20 i, the associated writing circuit 18 i causes the capacitor to be recharged or not, depending on its previous charge state.

Prior art DRAM devices of the type shown in FIG. 1 suffer from the drawback that modern memory devices have capacities typically of the order of 1 Gb, such devices typically comprising 1048576 lines. The refreshing process typically requires 10 to 50 ns for each line, as a result of which the refreshing process for a 1 Gb device typically requires 10 to 50 ms. Since the refreshing process must typically be carried out about 10 times per second, the time necessary for the refreshing process is of the same order of magnitude as that remaining for the data reading and writing operations. This results in the time required for refreshing limiting the capacity of the memory devices and requiring that special steps be taken to reduce leakage currents.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data storage device comprising:

a plurality of data storage cells, each said cell having a physical parameter in use which varies with time and has one or two data representing states, each said data representing state representing a respective binary logic state; and

refreshing means for applying input signals to each said data storage cell to at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter with time of at least those data storage cells in a predetermined one of said states, wherein said input signals cause a different variation in said physical parameter in cells in one of said data representing states than the variation caused in cells in the other of said data representing states.

By providing data refreshing means to at least partially reverse the variation of said physical parameter with time by means of input signals causing a different variation in said physical parameter in cells in one of said data representing states than the variation caused in cells in the other of said data representing states, this provides the advantage that each data storage cell can be re-written without the need to read the state of each cell in order to enable the re-write operation to proceed. In addition, the write signal can be input to all data storage cells simultaneously, thus significantly increasing the speed of the refreshing operation compared with prior art devices.

In a preferred embodiment, said at least partial reversal of said physical parameter occurs to a greater extent for said cells in said predetermined one of said data representing states than in the other of said states, and said input signals are applied sufficiently frequently in use that said states remain distinguishable from each other.

The device may further comprise writing means for applying input signals to each said data storage cell to adjust said physical parameter of said cell to select the binary logic state represented by each said data storage cell.

The device may further comprise reading means for determining the data representing state of each said data storage cell.

Said input signals may at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter for cells in each of said data representing states.

The data storage device may be a semiconductor device.

In a preferred embodiment, at least some of said data storage cells each comprise a respective field effect transistor having a first threshold voltage when in said first state and a second threshold voltage when in said second state.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one said field effect transistor comprises a respective source, a respective drain, a respective body arranged between the corresponding said source and said drain and adapted to retain an electrical charge generated in said body representing one or the other of two binary data states, and at least one respective gate adjacent the corresponding said body, wherein said refreshing means is adapted to apply voltage signals between at least one said gate and said drain of each said cell lying between said first and second threshold voltages.

Said refreshing means may be adapted to also apply signals to at least partially reverse the variation of said physical parameter in the other of said data representing states.

Said refreshing means is preferably adapted to apply signals partially reversing the variation of said charge in the other of said data representing states by means of recombination of charge carriers with charge carriers of opposite polarity.

The device may be a memory device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of refreshing data in a data storage device comprising a plurality of data storage cells, each said cell having a physical parameter in use which varies with time and has one of two data representing states, each said data representing state representing a respective binary logic state, the method comprising applying input signals to each said data storage cell to at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter with time of at least those data storage cells in a predetermined one of said states, wherein said input signals cause a different variation in said physical parameter in cells in one of said data representing states than the variation caused in cells in the other of said data representing states.

Said input signals may cause said at least partial reversal of said physical parameter occurs to a greater extent for said cells in said predetermined one of said data representing states than in the other of said states.

The method may further comprise the step of applying signals to at least partially reverse the variation of said physical parameter in the other of said data representing states.

The step of applying signals to at least partially reverse the variation of said physical parameter in the other of said data representing states preferably causes recombination of charge carriers with charge carriers of opposite polarity.

Said input signals may at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter for cells in each of said data representing states.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a prior art DRAM memory device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation, corresponding to FIG. 1, of a DRAM device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a pulse pattern to be applied to the gates and drains of the transistors of the device of FIG. 2 during a refresh operation; and

FIG. 4 shows the variation of charge with time in the body of each transistor of the device of FIG. 2 in each of the two charge states.

Referring to FIG. 2, in which parts common to the device of FIG. 1 are denoted by like reference numerals, a DRAM device has an array of m columns and n lines of memory cells 10, each of which comprises an NMOS SOI(silicon on insulator) field effect transistor, as described in greater detail in European patent application number 01810587.4. As described in greater detail in that document, it is possible to generate a charge in the body of such a transistor by the application of predetermined voltage pulses between the gate and drain and between the source and drain of the transistor. In particular, a positive charge is generated and stored in the body of an NMOS transistor by means of the application or a voltage between the source and drain of the transistor when in its conductive state, the voltage difference between the source and drain generating electron-hole pairs by impact ionisation. The electrons are then removed to the source or drain, and the holes are stored in the body of the transistor. The positive charge can be removed by forward biasing the body-drain junction.

In the DRAM device of FIG. 2, the source of each transistor is connected to a ground terminal, the gates of the transistors of each line are connected to a conductive track 12, and the drains of the transistors of each column are connected to a conductive track 14. As in the device of FIG. 1, the conductive tracks 12 are all connected to a selection circuit 16, and a writing circuit 18 i and reading circuit 20 i is connected to each conducting track 14. A refreshing circuit 22 is also provided, the refreshing circuit 22 being connected to each of the conductive tracks 12 via the selection circuit, and to each of the conductive tracks 14 via the corresponding writing circuits 18 i.

European patent application no. 01810587.4 describes how data can be written to the individual memory cells 10 of the DRAM device of FIG. 2, and how the charge state, representing the binary data state, of each memory cell 10 can be determined. The “zero” and “one” binary states of each stored bit are represented by the presence or absence of a net electric charge of a predetermined polarity in the body of the transistor. In order to refresh the data written to the memory cells 10, the refreshing circuit 22 causes the selection circuit 16 and writing circuit 18 i to apply pulse I₁ to all of the lines, and pulse I₂, as shown in FIG. 3, to all of the columns.

Pulse I₁ beginning at time t₁ and ending at time t₂ is applied to the gates of all of the transistors for a duration of some nanoseconds, and comprises a pulse of +0.6V applied to the gates, and +1.2V applied to the drains of the transistors. Pulse I₂, which begins at time t₃ and ends at time t₄, also having a duration of some nanoseconds, consists of the application of a pulse of −2V to the gates alone. The times t₂ and t₃ may be coincident.

Referring now to FIG. 4, which shows in detail how the charge C stored in the transistor body of each memory cell 10 varies with time for each charge state (representing binary “0” and binary “1” states respectively), the line between the two curves indicates charge level C_(n) towards which both charge levels tend if no refreshing operation is carried out. It will be appreciated that the two charge levels chosen to represent the respective data states must be sufficiently far apart as to remain distinguishable from each other throughout the range of allowed variation of charge of each level.

The cells 10 initially have a net positive charge represented by holes stored in the body of the transistor (representing state “1”) or a much lower negative or substantially zero charge (representing state “0”), i.e. the two charged states being higher than or lower than charge level C_(n) respectively. Without a refresh operation, the difference between these two charge levels decays generally logarithmically with time.

As disclosed in more detail in earlier European patent application no. 01810587.4, the electrical properties of the SOI MOSFET transistors of each data storage cell 10 vary according to the amount of charge stored in the body of the respective transistor. In particular, the threshold voltage of transistors in the higher charge state is lower than that of the transistors in the lower charge state.

When pulse I₁ is applied at time t₁, the voltage applied to the gates is arranged to be between the respective threshold voltages of the transistors in the higher and lower charge states. As a result, the transistor in the higher charge state is switched to its conductive state, i.e. a conductive channel between the source and drain forms in the body of the transistor in the vicinity of the gate, and a current can flow in the channel between the source and the drain at the interface of the body and the insulating layer adjacent the gate. This current flowing in the channel creates electron and hole pairs in the vicinity of the drain by impact ionisation, the holes being stored in the body, while the electrons are removed by the drain. In this way, the positive charge stored in the body of the transistors in the higher charge state increases by an amount Δ1, while the charge of the transistors in the lower charge state increases by a much smaller amount Δ2, since no conductive channel is formed in the transistors of lower charge state. Δ1 is generally 2 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than Δ2. It is found that electrons are trapped in structural defects in the body at its interface with the insulating film between the body and the gate generally to the same extent, regardless of whether the transistors are in the higher or lower charge state.

At time t₃, which is shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity as being coincident with time t₂, the second pulse I₂ begins and causes the charge in the transistors of both charge states to be reduced. The pulse I₂ consists of a voltage of −2V applied to the gates, which attracts holes stored in the body of each transistor to the corresponding interface of the body and dielectric film, with the result that the holes recombine with electrons trapped in structural defects at the interface, reducing the net positive charge stored in the body. As can be seen from FIG. 4, in this way, the charge in the higher state is reduced back to its initial level, and the charge in the lower state is restored to its previous level. The charge in the transistor in the upper state is reduced by Δ4, and is reduced by Δ3 in the transistor in the lower state, Δ4 and Δ3 being approximately equal to each other.

It can therefore be seen that because pulse I₁ has a much more significant effect on transistors in the higher state than in the lower state, this pulse can be applied to all of the memory cells 10 simultaneously, with the effect that the “1” states are refreshed, without the transistors in the “0” state being converted to the “1” state and without the necessity of reading the charge state of each memory cell 10. This permits a refresh process to be made by whole memory blocks allowing, for example in the case of a 1 Gigabit memory, a refresh process approximately 1000 times faster than in the prior art. It is also possible to use transistors having technical characteristics less difficult to achieve than in the prior art, in particular, transistors having a lower charge retention time, for which the cost is consequently lower.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In particular, the order of application of pulses I₁ and I₂ can be reversed, and the above process described with reference to NMOS transistors can also be applied to PMOS transistors, the polarity of the voltages applied to the gates in that case being reversed. Also, JFET type transistors can be used as well as MOSFET type transistors. Furthermore, as well as being applicable to DRAM memory type devices, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the refreshing process can be applied to other types of data storage device, such as optical imaging devices and memory devices other than DRAM memories. 

1. A data storage device comprising: a plurality of data storage cells, each said cell having a physical parameter in use which varies with time and has one of two data representing states, each said data representing state representing a respective binary logic state; and refreshing means for applying input signals to each said data storage cell to at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter with time of at least those data storage cells in a predetermined one of said states, wherein said input signals cause a different variation in said physical parameter in cells in one of said data representing states than the variation caused in cells in the other of said data representing states.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said at least partial reversal of said physical parameter occurs to a greater extent for said cells in said predetermined one of said data representing states than in the other of said states, and said input signals are applied sufficiently frequently in use that said states remain distinguishable from each other.
 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising writing means for applying input signals to each said data storage cell to adjust said physical parameter of said cell to select the binary logic state represented by each said data storage cell.
 4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising reading means for determining the data representing state of each said data storage cell.
 5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said input signals at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter for cells in each of said data representing states.
 6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is a semiconductor device.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein at least some of said data storage cells each comprise a respective field effect transistor having a first threshold voltage when in said first state and a second threshold voltage when in said second state.
 8. A device according to claim 7, wherein at least one said field effect transistor comprises a respective source, a respective drain, a respective body arranged between the corresponding said source and said drain and adapted to retain an electrical charge generated in said body representing one or the other of two binary data states, and at least one respective gate adjacent the corresponding said body, wherein said refreshing means is adapted to apply voltage signals between at least one said gate and said drain of each said cell lying between said first and second threshold voltages.
 9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said refreshing means is adapted to also apply signals to at least partially reverse the variation of said physical parameter in the other of said data representing states.
 10. A device according to claims 8 and 9, wherein said refreshing means is adapted to apply signals partially reversing the variation of said charge in the other of said data representing states by means of recombination of charge carriers with charge carriers of opposite polarity.
 11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is a memory device.
 12. A method of refreshing data in a data storage device comprising a plurality of data storage cells, each said cell having a physical parameter in use which varies with time and has one of two data representing states, each said data representing state representing a respective binary logic state, the method comprising applying input signals to each said data storage cell to at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter with time of at least those data storage cells in a predetermined one of said states, wherein said input signals cause a different variation in said physical parameter in cells in one of said data representing states than the variation caused in cells in the other of said data representing states.
 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said input signals cause said at least partial reversal of said physical parameter occurs to a greater extent for said cells in said predetermined one of said data representing states than in the other of said states.
 14. A method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising the step of applying signals to at least partially reverse the variation of said physical parameter in the other of said data representing states.
 15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step or applying signals to at least partially reverse the variation of said physical parameter in the other of said data representing states causes recombination of charge carriers with charge carriers of opposite polarity.
 16. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein said input signals at least partially reverse variation of said physical parameter for cells in each of said data representing states. 